From Ipart library to Ipart workspace

[Boleivia]

After several years of inventor in the semi-Isolated mode its time to move to the vault, aka the dialogue box warning "Don't mess with semi-isolated projects or you'll put your eye out." or something to that effect.

We like the looks of the single project method. Project files grow like weeds around our place, if we could sell them we could retire. We have set up the single project vault without too much problem.

In the non vault environment we have an extensive ipart collection set up as a library with a proxy path for child storage. Currently the designers can add new children at will using a project file that points directly at the parents, aka not as a library. Works fine.

In the vault we would like to move the iparts to the workspace for easy editing by the designers as opposed to leaving them as a library in the vault. Looks like from reading this group that editing library files is a bit difficult?

So we tried moving our ipart files to the workspace. Now the .iam's using the Iparts have to be resolved for each Ipart. We have hundreds of .iam's that use these IParts, not a fun job to resolve this mess. If I have to resolve another .iam I will have to be checked into the Vault and I hope it has padded walls.

Is there any way that we could take a iPart library that uses
proxy paths, and turn in into a standard folder under the workspace and not end up with the resolve link dialog on every single assembly we open ?

Or maybe we should leave our Iparts as libraries?

Any suggestions would be helpful
Thanks
Scott

[Anonymous]

Hi Scott,

The process of moving iParts and their children to the Workspace and living
in a Vault Simple folder is possible, but you will need to weigh the pros
vs. cons. Internally, the path to the Library iParts is a full path, where
as files in a subfolder in the Workspace are relative. In short, you will
need to 'trick' the Assembly files to resolve the iParts from another
non-library location. You'll need to check out the ipj too. Make sure you
have Use Unique File Names=Yes in the ipj as well.

To achieve this, you'll need to build the Vault folder hierarchy of iParts
and their children. Use Go To Working Folder and these folder will replicate
in Windows Explorer. Then, you will retrieve (Get Latest) both iPart
Factories and their children to these folders. Remove the read-only flag on
these parts.

In the ipj, remove the library path for the iPart Factories and proxy path.
This will force the iam to resolve the files from the Workspace location.
You will also dirty the Assembly files as the internal paths to the iParts
have changed. The Task Scheduler can be used here to batch the process. Use
the Migrate Utility, unchecking the Skip files and purge options.

Again, you'll have to decide whether or not this is worth the effort.
Leaving the iParts as they are is an option too. Either route you take, I
highly recommend enabling Track File Status and adding the field File Status
as a column to show when iPart dependencies are in need of an update.


--
Brian Schanen
Product Designer - Data Management
Manufacturing Solutions Division
Autodesk, Inc.

wrote in message news:5163208@discussion.autodesk.com...
After several years of inventor in the semi-Isolated mode its time to move
to the vault, aka the dialogue box warning "Don't mess with semi-isolated
projects or you'll put your eye out." or something to that effect.

We like the looks of the single project method. Project files grow like
weeds around our place, if we could sell them we could retire. We have set
up the single project vault without too much problem.

In the non vault environment we have an extensive ipart collection set up as
a library with a proxy path for child storage. Currently the designers can
add new children at will using a project file that points directly at the
parents, aka not as a library. Works fine.

In the vault we would like to move the iparts to the workspace for easy
editing by the designers as opposed to leaving them as a library in the
vault. Looks like from reading this group that editing library files is a
bit difficult?

So we tried moving our ipart files to the workspace. Now the .iam's using
the Iparts have to be resolved for each Ipart. We have hundreds of .iam's
that use these IParts, not a fun job to resolve this mess. If I have to
resolve another .iam I will have to be checked into the Vault and I hope it
has padded walls.

Is there any way that we could take a iPart library that uses
proxy paths, and turn in into a standard folder under the workspace and not
end up with the resolve link dialog on every single assembly we open ?

Or maybe we should leave our Iparts as libraries?

Any suggestions would be helpful
Thanks
Scott

[Boleivia]

Brian
Thanks for the response.

Since my post I think I have made some process and I think it gives the same result you outlined. What do you think? I am concerned about making some bad choices an having problems down the line.

1. We decided on a single project file as described in the Autodesk White Paper.

2. We decided to put our Iparts in non Library location so designers could easily add children if they want. If one of our designers goes crazy and won't follow the rules I could always just check all the Iparts out and prevent changes.

3. In the Before Vault (B.V.) environment our Iparts were set up with a proxy path and I wasn’t sure how to deal with this. I ended up taking the proxy folders and putting them under the parents like they would be normally generated in inventor. Lets call our main IParts folder "My_Iparts"

4. In the VE I dragged the My_Iparts folder to the design folder. VE complained about the relationships but I went ahead and added them. I don’t think there are any relationships yet I haven’t added any assy's?

5. I created a single user project file at the c:\work\Designs level. Let's call it Resolve.ipj

6. So now I am ready to add the actual designs. First I checked out the entire My_Iparts folder getting it my local drive.

7. Drag the project I want to add to the c:\work\Desings folder. Open the top level .iam with the Resolve.ipj active. Resolve the first part and Inventor resolves the remainder.

8. Add the now resolved Design files to the vault with the inventor addin.

Am I on the right track. Am I killing flies with a sledge hammer?

Im just new to the vault not inventor. I haven’t used the task scheduler or migration yet but will try to pick up some info once my mind clears for my initial Vault experience.

Once again thanks, I was beginning to think my humorous comments were not taken well as I didn’t get any response....I'll try not to put my eye out

Scott